Impact absorber for a golf club head

ABSTRACT

An impact absorber for a golf club head. The impact absorber for a golf club head in the invention comprises a main body and a chamber. The main body comprises a striking plate, and the chamber is adapted to receive viscous damping liquid. Thereby, the damping liquid can absorb vibration and impact energy of the main body when striking a golf ball.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an impact absorber for a golfclub head, and in particular to an impact absorber for a golf club headhaving a chamber to contain damping liquid thereby absorbing impactenergy when striking a golf ball.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] The conventional golf club head, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is aniron club head, which mainly comprises a main body 11, a striking plate12 and a necked portion 13. An opening 14 is formed in the main body 11and connected a front side to a rear side. The striking plate 12 iscombined with the main body 11 by welding or embedding it in the opening14. The necked portion 13 is adapted to hold a shaft (not shown). Whenstriking a golf ball, the club head is swung and the striking plate 12is hit a ball by the striking force. So then a simultaneous reactingforce (i.e. striking stress) is affected on the striking plate 12 thatmay cause vibration and shock on the golf club. Although most of thestriking stress or impact energy is absorbed or reduced by the structureof the main body 11 and the opening 14, the unabsorbed impact energy maytransmit through the shaft to the handle (not shown). This causes anuncomfortable condition in user's hand when striking, and even damagesthe structural strength of the golf club. Therefore, an improvementstructure of golf club head is required.

[0005] Hence, the golf club head in the invention is provided with achamber to contain damping liquid for absorbing the impact energy whenstriking. Thereby, this can enhance swinging feel in user's hand andfurthermore avoid damage to the structural strength of golf club head.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide an impactabsorber for a golf club head, wherein viscous damping liquid isprovided for absorbing or reducing the shock or vibration when strikingto enhance swinging feel in user's hand.

[0007] Another object of the invention is to provide an impact absorberfor a golf club head, wherein viscous damping liquid is provided forabsorbing or reducing the shock or vibration when striking to prolongthe useful life of golf club head.

[0008] Accordingly, the impact absorber for a golf club head of theinvention comprises a main body and a chamber. The main body has astriking plate, and the chamber is formed in the main body forcontaining damping liquid. When striking a ball, the viscosity of thedamping liquid serves as a damper to absorb or reduce shock or vibrationgenerated on the golf club head.

[0009] A detailed description is given in the following embodiments withreference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The present invention can be more fully understood by reading thesubsequent detailed description and examples with references made to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional golf club head inaccordance with the prior art;

[0012]FIG. 2 is a rear view of the conventional golf club head inaccordance with the prior art;

[0013]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an impact absorber for a golf clubhead of a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0014]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3,of the impact absorber for the golf club head of the first embodiment ofthe present invention;

[0015]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an impact absorber for a golf clubhead of a second embodiment of the present invention; and

[0016]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5,of the impact absorber for the golf club head of the second embodimentof the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Referring to FIG. 3, the first embodiment of the invention, animpact absorber for golf club head comprises a main body 11 and achamber 15. The main body 11 has a striking plate 12, and the chamber 15is formed in an appropriate position to receive damping liquid 16. Whenan impact of the golf ball hitting on the main body 11, the dampingliquid in the chamber 15 is able to absorb the impact energy and therebyreducing the shock or vibration.

[0018] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the details of the main body 11 andthe chamber 15 are shown. The main body 11 is a forged or cast iron clubhead, and a striking plate 12 is welded thereto or embedded therein. Anecked portion 13 is formed on one side of the main body 11 to hold ashaft (not shown). An opening 14 is formed in the main body 11 andconnected a front side to a rear side. The chamber 15 is preferablyformed in an appropriate position of the main body 11, particularlylocated in the opening 14, and adjoined the striking plate 12 and mainbody 11. The chamber 15 is usually a frame member, which is made ofmetal, and alternatively welded to or integrated into the main body 11.At least one hole 151 is provided for filling damping liquid 16 into thechamber 15. The chamber 15 is sealed with adhesives or a seal member.The chamber 15 is filled up with damping liquid 16 so as to avoid liquidvibration. The damping liquid 16 is preferably consisted of water, oil,colloid liquid, non-corrosive solution, organic solution, viscoussolution, and mixture thereof. Compared with solid such as metal, alloyetc, the damping liquid has higher viscosity and hence has betterability to absorb impact energy. Therefore, when striking a golf ballwith the main body 11, the damping liquid 16 in the chamber 15 canindeed absorb or reduce the shock or vibration caused by reacting force(striking stress). This may enhance swinging feel in user's hand andfurthermore avoid damage to the structural strength of the golf clubhead and prolong the useful life of the golf club head.

[0019] Furthermore, the chamber 15 can optionally be formed in anyposition in the main body 11, for example a rear surface of the sweetspot of the striking plate 12 or in a position located in the opening14, and proximal the necked portion 13. The chamber 15 may be sizedappropriate, depending on the requirements. The chamber 15 may have anextending portion 152 to obtain more inner space for containing increaseamount of damping liquid 16. Furthermore, the chamber 15 can also beembedded and hidden in the main body 11.

[0020] Referring to the FIGS. 5 and 6, the detailed structures of themain body 21 and the chamber 25 of the second embodiment of theinvention are shown. The main body 21 is a forged, cast or welded toform a wood club head. A stepped portion 211 is provided on the front ofthe main body 21 for assembling with a striking plate 22 by welding orembedding. A necked portion 23 is formed on the side of the main body 21to hold a shaft (not shown). A cavity 24 is formed in the main body 21.Compared with the first embodiment, the chamber 25 in the secondembodiment of the invention is preferably formed in an appropriateposition located in the cavity 24 of the main body 21, particularlylocated on a bottom surface of the cavity 24, and adjoined the strikingplate 22 and main body 21. The chamber 25 is alternatively welded to orintegrated into the main body 21. At least one hole 251 is formed forfilling damping liquid 26 into the chamber 25 and sealed by adhesives orsealing components. The hole 251 of the chamber 25 can be optionallyformed on the outer surface of the main body 21 or an outer surface ofthe chamber 25 facing the cavity 24. Thereby, when striking a golf ballwith main body 21, the damping liquid 26 in the chamber 25 is able toabsorb or reduce shock or vibration caused by the reacting force(striking stress).

[0021] Furthermore, the chambers 15, 25 in the invention can be formedby welding to, embedding in or integrating into a putter club head (notshown) to reduce the shock or vibration.

[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the impact absorber for a golf clubhead in the invention is provided with a chamber 15 filled with viscousdamping liquid 16 in the main body 11 to absorb or reduce shock whilestriking. Compared with conventional golf club head incapable ofabsorbing impact energy effectively, the impact absorber for a golf clubhead in the invention indeed enhances swinging feel in user's hand andprolongs the useful life thereof.

[0023] While the invention has been described by way of example and interms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary,it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements(as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scopeof the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation soas to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.

What is claimed is:
 1. An impact absorber for a golf club head,comprising: a main body having a striking plate and a necked portion;and a chamber formed in the main body, which contains damping liquid toabsorb impact energy when a golf ball impacting the main body.
 2. Theimpact absorber for a golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein thedamping liquid is consisted of water, oil, colloid liquid, non-corrosivesolution, organic solution, viscous solution, and mixture thereof. 3.The impact absorber for a golf club head as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe main body is a wood club head.
 4. The impact absorber for a golfclub head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body is made of aniron club head.
 5. The impact absorber for a golf club head as claimedin claim 1, wherein the main body is a putter golf club head.
 6. Theimpact absorber for a golf club head as claimed in claim 3, wherein anopening is formed in the main body, and the chamber is formed in theopening.
 7. The impact absorber for a golf club head as claimed in claim4, wherein a cavity is formed in the main body, and the camber is formedin the cavity.
 8. The impact absorber for a golf club head as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the chamber is in a position adjoined the main body andthe striking plate.
 9. The impact absorber for a golf club head asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the camber is-formed on a rear surface of asweet spot on the striking plate.
 10. The impact absorber for a golfclub head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chamber is formed in aposition proximal the necked portion.
 11. The impact absorber for a golfclub head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chamber further comprisesan extending portion to obtain an increased inner space thereof, therebyobtaining increase amount of the damping liquid.
 12. The impact absorberfor a golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chamber ishidden in the main body.
 13. The impact absorber for a golf club head asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the chamber is integrated into the mainbody.
 14. The impact absorber for a golf club head as claimed in claim1, wherein the chamber is welded to the main body.
 15. The impactabsorber for a golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein a hole isformed on the chamber for filling the damping liquid into the chamber.16. The impact absorber for a golf club head as claimed in claim 15,wherein the hole is sealed by adhesives or sealing components.